Sale awesome in opener

A solo home run off the bat of Tyler Flowers was enough to down the Kansas City Royals on Opening Day. That's because Chris Sale turned in a dominate shutout to please the sell out crowd on a chilly afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.

Yes, temperatures struggled to reach the 40s on Monday but the cold didn't stop Sale from pitching into the eighth inning. He bested new Royals ace, James Shields in a pitching duel that was scoreless through the top of the fifth.

Flowers led the Sox half of the inning with a solo shot to left center that looked to be the start of a big inning. The Sox then added two more base runners but Adam Dunn who already started hearing "boos" from the crowd, grounded out to end the inning. Dunn on his own left five men on base while striking out two times.

Shields did his part for the Royals. He lasted six innings scattering eight hits and the one run. The much hyped Royals offense couldn't get anything going off Sale. Seven strike outs and seven hits were surrendered by the lefty who got help in the seventh by the glove of Gordon Beckham.

Eric Hosmer led off the frame with a single and next batter Lorenzo Cain hit a sharp liner that Beckham dove and caught before the ball got through the infield. The ball was ticketed toward the outfield which would've put runners on the corners with no outs. Sale then went to his new found change up and got Jeff Francoeur to ground into the inning ending double play.

All in all it was a good day at The Cell. For sure you would've liked a bit warmer temperatures but on April 1 you never know what you're going to get. And at least for one day, you can say the Sox are in first place.

Sox are back at it Wednesday afternoon when Jake Peavy will make his first start of 2013. Gavin Floyd will pitch the final game of the series Thursday afternoon before the Seattle Mariners come to town for a weekend series.